Matthew Boulton - Lion Face Silver Candlestick, Chester 1769
I am delighted to present this masterpiece of mid eighteenth century design, by one of the most important metal workers of the latter half of the 18th century. This is without question one of the finest and most exceptional pieces of silver ever produced.
I am actively looking for a identical candlestick. If you have one to sell, then please get in touch.
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
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- Matthew Boulton – Lion Face Candlestick, Chester 1769
Description.
A exceptionally rare and immensely important George III silver candlestick,
21.5 oz,
Chester 1769, attributed to Boulton & Fothergill, – The design is documented and is known to have been produced between 1768 and 1769.
Height: 32cm,
Diameter : 15.2cm,
marks slightly rubbed but visible.
Loaded.
Condition excellent.
Price – £8,000 – Offers invited – decordealer at yahoo.co.uk
for relevant books please see http://www.amazon.co.uk/matthew-Boulton
This candlestick is one of the earliest surviving examples of English silver in the new gout grec style, initiated in Paris during the 1760’s. Indeed the design owes much to the work in ormolu fashioned by Pierre Gouthière (1732-1813) which dates from the first half of that decade. During the Seven Year War, developments in French art and design were largely ignored by English craftsman and were in any case associated with Britain’s main enemy. However with the signing of the Peace of Paris in 1763, English connoisseurs were quick to cross the Channel to acquire the latest in Paris fashion. Foremost among these advance patrons was The Earl of Coventry who acquired tapestries, furniture and porcelain for both his London house and for Croome Court. Matthew Boulton, the leading designer of the age, was quick to recognise the change in taste and travelled himself to France in 1765, visiting both Paris and Versaille. By the end of the decade he was importing French metal work as well as manufacturing objects in the French style at his Soho works.
The earliest pair of candlesticks based on the Gouthière design was made by Boulton and Fothergill in 1768. These were exhibited at The Grosvenor Museum, Chester in 1984 (see Literature).
The candlestick is struck with the Chester assay mark as Boulton was obliged to send his objects from the Birmingham Soho manufactory to Chester for hallmarking, prior to the opening of a local assay office. In a letter to Lord Boston, 1 November 1772, Boulton referred to `Chester where our mark is enter’d’. This was a highly inconvenient and costly activity – Chester was over 70 miles from Birmingham. Boulton is recorded as complaining to his patron Lord Shelburne in January 1771 that the delay in delivery of some candlesticks was done to the 12 days it had taken for Chester Assay Office to `touch’. Further problems were created after they were returned to Boulton badly packed and damaged in transit. Pressure from Boulton and other manufacturers eventually led to the creation of the Birmingham assay office on 31 August 1773 when Boulton presented over 840oz of silver for assay.
Literature:
Exhibition catalogue, Sotheby’s and Grosvenor Museum Chester, 1984, p99, no 173, pair of 1768
Exhibition catalogue, Birmingham Gold and Silver 1773-1973, 1973, section A
Maurice Ridgway, Chester Silver 1727-1837, 1985, plate 34, another pair
Kenneth Quickenden, `Lyon-faced candlesticks and candelabra’, Silver Society Journal, Autumn 1999, p196-210
